Daily chess puzzle: Check Mate #435

September 15, 2017

Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.

Black to play and mate White.

Karpov v Taimanov, Leningrad 1976

(Although ChessBase says 1977)

Solution

Part of my chess education. I would have been 13 or 14 when this game was played, and would have seen the position in BCM, so knew the solution instantly. Perhaps because Karpov lost it was lodged in my mind.
1…Ra1! 2 Rb1 Ng3+!!

3 hg Ra8!! and mate by Rh8+.

Very pretty, even after more than 40 years.
There is though a slight catch. 1 Qe2 is better, and then Black’s best is 1…Qd5, hitting the LPDO Rb3: but the game goes on. Black is winning, of course, if he is an engine. Note that 1…Qd2 is ?? : 2 Qb5 and the engine’s evaluation swings to 0.0.FEN